"It most definitely did not include Europe or the Americas."
So ******* what?
You have just been given the situation in America and Britain - who o earth is puttig national boundaries on religious persecution, certainly not me.
Here'e a further example of the British brand from this moring's Sunday Times
I think Mike shrugged it off as "Peter Robinson agreeing with some other Irishman", and nothing to do with Britain.
Jim Carroll

BIBLE BASHER WHO LACKS FAITH IN COMMUNITY SPIRIT
The Metropolitan Tabernacle preacher's verbal attack on Muslims and sharia law from his Belfast pulpit has caused disquiet not just in Northern Ireland but around the world

Not many live shows at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast offer a religious 1 experience, but then not many shows are like those hosted by Metropolitan Tabernacle church. In 2011, a 7,000 -strong audience saw a line-up that included choirs and drama teams. The headline act was Pastor James McConnell who told the gathering that recent natural disasters were a sign of the second coming, as prophesied in the Bible.
This veteran grey- haired preacher describes himself as a simple man, but at Pentecostal rallies he is more like a rock star. In 2005, he drew a full house of14,000 to the Odyssey. Five years later 12,000 people listened to his sermon at a rally in Ravenhill rugby ground. Thefollowingyear, he preached to 1,000 people in predominately Catholic west Belfast.
His place of weekly worship, Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle on Belfast's Shore Road, cost £5m (€6.14m) to build 20 years ago and is more like a concert venue than a church. Visitors are greeted with a golden double staircase, glittering chandeliers and a waterfall in the foyer. This is religion Las Vegas-style. At a time when Sunday congregations are dwindling elsewhere, McConnell is clearly doing something right. The east Belfast-born firebrand, who has been preaching since the age of 13, built this place up from an Orange Hall with 10 worshippers to a hand-clapping arena that routinely attracts 2,000.
Two Sundays ago McConneU's congregation heard him make remarks about Muslims that would ignite a controversy that would be reported around ' the world. The pastor described Islam as " heathen" and "satanic". "People say there are good Muslims in Britain — that may be so — but I don't trust them," he roared from the pulpit.
Khalid Anis of the Islamic Society of Britain challenged McConnell about his remarks on the BBC's Nolan Show last Wednesday. "I was disturbed that, in a country where there has been so much sectarian strife, a religious leader seems to be making the same mistake about stereotyping and tarring a whole community because of ignorance," he said. Before the debate, Anis expected a "huanced discussion about sharia law and the role it played within Muslim communities. It quickly became apparent [McConnell] had no understanding about what sharia means to British Muslims"
A number of political figures came out in support of McConnell. These included Edwin Poots, the DUP health minister, and Sammy Wilson, another MLA from the party. Peter Robinson, Northern Ireland's first minister, agreed he would not trust Muslims involved in violence, or devotees of sharia law, although he would "trustthemtogototheshops" for him. "Trust isn't a matter of ahatecrime," Robinson reasoned. "If it is, I'm going to ask the police to take action against people who don't trust politicians."
Robinson and his wife Iris have worshipped at McConneU's church for years, and their daughter Rebekah was married at his Shore Road venue in 2003. When Iris Robinson was revealed to be having an affair-with a 19 -year-old, McConnell , publicly came to the couple's support, saying: "I think Iris can begin again in another way, not in politics, where she can help a lot of people."
Peter Robinson may have spoken out of spiritual solidarity with his pastor, but the province's Muslims were offended. "I find it despicable and totally unacceptable," said Anis. "The 3,000 or so Muslims in Northern Ireland look up to him, as do other minority communities. He has since backtracked, but I don't think that's enough. He's doing the political thing now, as far as I can see."
Some Christians justified McConnell's sermon on the basis of freedom of speech. Michael Wardlow, head of Northern Ireland's Equality Commission, was having none of it, however. "It's perfectly OK for people within faith traditions to have a robust dialogue around faith, even criticise other faiths, but freedom of speech has limitations," he said. "In evangelical, more right-wing churches, you do get more extreme language. [But] not only did he say all Muslims cannot be trusted, he said they can't be trusted because of sharia law. Two things were happening: negative stereotyping, and he was perpetuating perceptions that are not factually correct."
Race-hate crimes are on the rise in Northern Ireland, with a 43 % increase in attacks on ethnic minorities over the past year. Two racist attacks are reported every day. Last week Anna Lo, an Alliance MLA, announced her intention to leave politics because of racist abuse. "To support a lunatic who makes remarks like that is adding fuel to the flames in Northern Ireland," Lo said about Robinson's support for McConnell.
Despite his apparently antiquated beliefs, the pastor leads a relatively progressive church. The venue streams its services online, some preachers read scripture from iPads, and McConnell invites everyone including Catholics to attend. In 2010, he condemned fundamentalist preachers in America for burning copies of the Koran on the anniversary of 9/11. "I think it's not just disrespectful but stupid," he said.
The pastor has been married to Margaret since he was 22, and has two daughters. His background suggests triumph in the face of adversity. James McConnell was born May 15,1938, in east Belfast. At the age of seven his mother died, and he was orphaned at 13 when his father also passed away. "My sister was very ill with tuberculosis and our home was wiped out by the disease," he once said. "I went to live with my grandparents; my grandfather was a godly man and at the age of 7 Vi1 gave my life to Christ."
At 14, McConnell left school and started working in a Belfast shipyard as an office clerk. He was ordained to the Christian ministry when he was 17 and founded the Whitewell church two years later. By the time he set up the Metropolitan Tabernacle in 1994, he was one of Europe's most notable evangelical preachers. Despite his Jimmy Swaggart style of mega-church preaching, he has largely avoided scandal until now.
Accordingto company accounts from 2009, the church's annual operating costs are about £1.2m.
McConnell reportedly takes a modest £25,000 salary. He has been involved in a number of charitable ventures, but not all have worked out. In 2009, he said he "took a hammer" to a Romanian children's home funded by his congregation to stop it falling into the hands of a "paedophile ring" connected to the Romanian government. The Romanian embassy rejected the allegations.
Spouting fire and brimstone from the pulpit may not have been good for his health. In 2011, he underwent triple heart-bypass surgery. It was reportedly only the second time in 54 years he had not held his services — and he was back preaching two weeks later. Last year, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent chemotherapy. During his Slightly befuddled performance on the Nolan Show, he continually pronounced sharia as "sharara". "He can't even pronounce the word," complained Anis. "I don't know what's driving him, quite honestly."
On Thursday, Robinson apologised for his comments, which local Muslim leaders accepted. However, some Muslim doctors have questioned his continuing suitability as first minister, and particularly his health minister's support for McConnell. SaminaDornan, a consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital, said: "I love living here, I am so proud to be here, but I have never been so embarrassed in my life to be from Northern Ireland."
No apologies have been forthcoming from McConnell himself. Last week, he was back on stage at Metropolitan Tabernacle, labelling Barack Obama a "patchwork quilt" who "doesn't know" if he's Christian or Muslim. "Nobody is going to close my mouth — Islam is dangerous," he said.
Still, Anis is hoping that there is a way forward through dialogue. "I told him [after the Nolan Show] the Belfast Muslim community is extending an invitation to come and sit with them. Nothing happens by talking hateful language."
You'd think Northern Ireland might have realised that by now.
Sunday Times 1.6.2014